Hopefully by now you are finished (or almost finished) with your analysis of a formal and an informal assessment. Reflect on your work to identify (and describe) at least three strategies that you use (or try) in your own classroom to learn from formal assessments and have your students learn from formal assessments.
One thing that I do that I find very helpful in class is giving quizzes before an exam that are more short answer in nature and pick really at misconceptions that the students may have, or the main driving ideas of the unit. In my mind, it is more important that they understand the main ideas and concepts than little facts and definitions. I then use the results of these quizzes to really talk a step back before moving on and clear up misconceptions or topics that they weren't too strong in. These quizzes also become excellent study material for the unit test and final.
In any quiz or assessment, I make it a point to underline or highlight something good that the students have done. This way, even if they did bad on the assessment, they at least see something positive and something that they were on the right track on. In addition, when I go over the assessments in class, it is very productive when I can all on any student and ask them to read what I have highlighted. Many almost get excited because they know what they are going to read is correct and will contribute to the class discussion. It is also easier for me to walk up and down the rows and spot student's work in which I have highlighted for a particular question, so I could call specifically on them. I think this works so nicely because everyone is included in a positive way, and no one has to be embarrassed or scared to read what they wrote, because they know if I highlighted it, then it is good!
Lastly, I often allow student to correct their test on a separate piece of paper and hand it in for some form of credit on their test. This forces them to go back and really see what they got wrong and try to understand it. It is often easy for them to shove the test in their backpack and forget about it if the unit is over, but this makes them care about it more, the fact that I will allow them to correct their mistakes gives them a second opportunity to learn the material, which is a top priority to me! I would love every student to understand the material fully, so I take any opportunity possible to reach that goal.
One thing that I do that I find very helpful in class is giving quizzes before an exam that are more short answer in nature and pick really at misconceptions that the students may have, or the main driving ideas of the unit. In my mind, it is more important that they understand the main ideas and concepts than little facts and definitions. I then use the results of these quizzes to really talk a step back before moving on and clear up misconceptions or topics that they weren't too strong in. These quizzes also become excellent study material for the unit test and final.
In any quiz or assessment, I make it a point to underline or highlight something good that the students have done. This way, even if they did bad on the assessment, they at least see something positive and something that they were on the right track on. In addition, when I go over the assessments in class, it is very productive when I can all on any student and ask them to read what I have highlighted. Many almost get excited because they know what they are going to read is correct and will contribute to the class discussion. It is also easier for me to walk up and down the rows and spot student's work in which I have highlighted for a particular question, so I could call specifically on them. I think this works so nicely because everyone is included in a positive way, and no one has to be embarrassed or scared to read what they wrote, because they know if I highlighted it, then it is good!
Lastly, I often allow student to correct their test on a separate piece of paper and hand it in for some form of credit on their test. This forces them to go back and really see what they got wrong and try to understand it. It is often easy for them to shove the test in their backpack and forget about it if the unit is over, but this makes them care about it more, the fact that I will allow them to correct their mistakes gives them a second opportunity to learn the material, which is a top priority to me! I would love every student to understand the material fully, so I take any opportunity possible to reach that goal.